In this episode of RISEUP@work, host Dr. Deepak Bhootra welcomes Dr. Cheryl Richards, President and CEO of Catapult, to examine what career readiness really means as AI, changing jobs, and new workplace expectations reshape how organizations and professionals grow. Rather than treating the future of work as a technology problem, Cheryl reframes it as a challenge of change management, adaptability, resilience, learning agility, and human judgment.

In this episode of RISEUP@work, host Dr. Deepak Bhootra sits down with Dr. Orin Davis, self-actualization engineer, human capital consultant, researcher, and coach, for a fresh look at how talent should be identified and developed in today’s workplace. Instead of relying too heavily on resumes and traditional interviews, Dr. Davis argues for a more skills-first approach that evaluates what people can actually do, why they want the role, and how well they fit the organization.

In this episode of RISEUP@work, host Dr. Deepak Bhootra sits down with Anya Fileva, founder and creator of Claw and Paw Apparel, to explore what career reinvention really looks like when professional success no longer feels aligned with who you are. Drawing from her journey from Ukraine, corporate life, fashion design, and entrepreneurship, Anya shares how she stopped climbing someone else’s ladder and began building a path rooted in creativity, identity, and personal fulfillment.

In this episode of RISEUP@work, host Dr. Deepak Bhoothra sits down with Sabrina Kinckle, growth systems consultant, to uncover why talented professionals and B2B firms often struggle with unpredictable client acquisition and what it takes to build a consistent growth engine.

In this episode of RISEUP@work, host Dr. Deepak Bhootra welcomes Michelle Coates, occupational therapist and founder of Blue Balance, to discuss why workplace mental health, employee wellbeing, and disability management are essential leadership responsibilities not just HR initiatives. Together, they explore how healthier workplaces lead to stronger teams, higher productivity, and better business outcomes.

In this episode of RISEUP@work, host Dr. Deepak Bhootra welcomes Khayang Gagiano, author, educator, and talent transformation expert, for an eye-opening conversation about where successful careers really begin. Challenging the belief that professional development starts in adulthood, Khayang explains how the foundations of leadership, resilience, creativity, communication, and emotional intelligence are built during the earliest years of life.

in this episode of RISEUP@work, host Dr. Deepak Bhootra welcomes Paula Quincey, CEO of Engaged Humans and relationship intelligence expert, for a powerful conversation about the one competitive advantage technology can’t replace: human connection.

As AI, hybrid work, and constant change reshape the modern workplace, Paula explains why trust, emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and healthy conflict are becoming essential leadership skills.

In this episode of RISEUP@work, host Dr. Deepak Bhootra sits down with Jasmine Davis, founder and CEO of Pretty Talk LLC, to explore why leadership development must begin long before young people enter the workforce.

Drawing from her experience in juvenile justice, youth mentorship, and character development, Jasmine shares how confidence, communication, empathy, and emotional intelligence are becoming the true power skills of the modern workplace.

In this episode of RISEUP@work, host Dr. Deepak Bhootra sits down with Gearoid Cox founder of Sales Pipeline to break down why most founders struggle to scale revenue and what it actually takes to build a predictable sales engine.

Drawing from his experience in enterprise sales and entrepreneurship, Gearoid reveals the biggest mistake leaders make: relying on hustle instead of building structured, repeatable systems.

In this episode of RISEUP@work, host Dr. Deepak Bhootra sits down with Mark Phinick, author of When Deals Go Quiet and founder of Let’s Make It Rain, to uncover why effort alone doesn’t accelerate sales success.

Mark challenges traditional selling by revealing that deals don’t close through persistence alone, but through understanding how organizations actually make decisions.